Moe Franklin

Murray Asher Franklin

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 175 lb.
• School University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• High School Schurz High School
• Debut August 12, 1941
• Final Game September 6, 1942
• Born April 1, 1914 in Chicago, IL USA
• Died March 16, 1978 in Harbor City, CA USA

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Biographical Information

Moe Franklin played a couple seasons for the Detroit Tigers. A star in college ball, he was at the University of Illinois at the same time that Lou Boudreau was. After World War II, Franklin jumped to the Mexican League, and at one point stated that he was quite happy in Tampico. He also played in Cuba - see Franklin's Cuban baseball card

Franklin was mostly called by his real name, Murray Franklin, as a player, but the nickname "Moe" presumably got tagged on him because he was of Jewish heritage.

At Schurz High School, Franklin lettered in baseball and soccer.

When Franklin came up with the Tigers, he competed for the shortstop position. In 1941, he hit better than Frank Croucher, the regular at the position, and in 1942 he hit better than Billy Hitchcock, that season's regular.

Murray participated in a very unusual play while with the Hollywood Stars in February 1950. Bob Bundy tried to score and was knocked unconscious at home plate when he ran into the catcher. As catcher Jim Gladd searched around for the ball, Murray (who was on-deck) took Bundy's hand and put it on home plate to score the run.

Franklin was part of a legendary baseball fight that occurred on August 2, 1953, between the Hollywood Stars and the minor-league Los Angeles Angels. Ted Beard, trying to steal third, came in high with the spikes at third baseman Franklin, who responded by hitting Beard. Both teams joined in. It was the second fight in three days, and was televised. Fifty police officers were called in to deal with the fight, called "The Brawl". Source: The Brawl The Brawl made it into the Life Magazine issue of August 17, 1953.